DOES GOD EXIST? TODAY

August 5, 2026August 4, 2026

The Courage to Help Someone in Need

Americans are a culture of cowards. We should have the courage to help someone in need. What do we feel when we see a homeless person, or someone on a street corner holding a cardboard sign that says, “Need Food”? Of course, some people make a business of begging and have no real need, but we cannot let that fact keep us from doing what Jesus called His followers to do.

Matthew 9:35-36 tells us: “Jesus went through all the towns and villages …healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” What is your reaction to needs? In Michael Clemen’s book Why Aren’t Christians More Like Jesus, he points out that real Christianity is doing what Jesus would do. James 2:14-26 points out that faith without compassion is useless (verse 20). Our faith must have feet. Going to a building where you sit in a pew once a week is not what being a Christian is about. Clemens calls that “Churchianity.”

Every person we read about in the Bible who was converted to Christ had the courage to help someone in need. In Acts 9, Dorcas was making garments for the needy. In Acts 16, Lydia opened her home for people who needed lodging, including Paul. Throughout the book of Acts, Barnabas was an encourager. Today, the opportunities for service include caring for people who can’t care for themselves, helping care for children, or getting groceries or medicine for a shut-in. If you have the skills, it might be maintaining or repairing a vehicle for someone who can’t afford it. It could even be visiting or using your phone to encourage someone who needs a friend.

A living, dynamic faith is a faith of action. Read James 2:14-26 and be like Christ. Jesus was not a wimp, and neither can His followers be.

August 4, 2026August 3, 2026

God’s Design of the Central Nervous System

One of the great mysteries of science has been the properties of human beings that separate them from all other living things. Pharmacist and pastor Shawn Arstein wrote that modern tools of medical research show that God’s design of the central nervous system “affects mood, motivation, memorization, pain, pleasure, action, response, love, and fear—and it also regulates the heart.” He said the miles of nerve threads that connect body parts from head to toe illustrate how God “is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:6).

The fall of Adam and Eve demonstrates how sin affects the central nervous system (CNS), causing neurological instability. In Genesis 3:10, Adam says, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” Fear, hiding, and blame-shifting resulted. The story of Cain in Genesis 4:1-12 also shows CNS instability, with anger, murder, denial, being downcast, and panic.

Adam’s rebellion altered his nervous system both physically and spiritually. In Genesis 2:17, God had told Adam, “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will certainly die.” What did God mean by that? Adam didn’t drop dead from physical poisoning. The key to understanding this death lies in the term “naked” in verse 25. God’s design of the central nervous system involves myelin surrounding the axons of neurons, insulating them and allowing electrical impulses to pass at a faster rate. According to Arstein, severing the Spirit from the image of God is like leaving the central nervous system stripped of a protective layer, allowing a short in a wire. Adam and Eve looked alive, but the connection with God vanished, making them feel vulnerable in their nakedness. Simultaneously, the knowledge of evil brought anxiety, fear, and chaos. Nakedness demanded a response, and fig leaves provided the first coping strategy for stability.

Because of God’s design of the central nervous system, the fruits of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22-23 enable humans to battle evil, resulting in changed behavior and stability. Achieving that stability, however, requires effort. Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Seeing God’s design of the central nervous system and how He helps us, as Christians, to walk in the light instead of in darkness (1 John 1) is essential for our growth as children of God.

Reference: godandnatureasa3.org 2026 #2

August 3, 2026August 2, 2026

The Pale Blue Dot

The picture above is the “Pale Blue Dot” photograph, taken by the Voyager 1 spacecraft on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1990. At the time, Voyager 1 was 3.8 billion miles (6 billion km) from Earth and moving away. The camera was about to be shut down to save power, since it was not going to fly close to any planet as it was leaving the solar system. Before shutdown, the mission commander ordered the probe to take 60 images to form a “Family Portrait of the Solar System.” Thirty-four minutes after it took this picture, the camera was shut down forever. In the picture, the Sun is below, and the pale blue dot you can barely see in a sunbeam is planet Earth.

This year, prominent atheists became upset by astronaut Victor Glover’s words aboard Artemis 2 during its historic trip around the Moon. Some even expressed concern about the “separation of church and space.” However, when he spoke from space, he seemed to receive approval from the other astronauts, but not from atheists on the ground. Some of Glover’s words that apparently upset atheists include, “You’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe. You are special. In all of this emptiness, this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe, you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together.” The pale blue dot is not insignificant.

Why should those words distress anyone? Many early scientists explored creation because they believed in an orderly universe created by an intelligent God. Many astronauts have said that being in space gave them a spiritual experience as they realized that Earth reveals design and purpose. Many leading science popularizers have tried to tell us that science destroys Christian belief. Richard Dawkins, Bill Nye, Michael Shermer, Lawrence Krauss, and others have written popular books arguing that science makes belief in God unnecessary and implausible. The truth is that scientific discoveries continue to support belief in God and challenge atheism.

Astronomer Carl Sagan was partially responsible for the picture of the pale blue dot, and he popularized the term in his book by the same name. He wrote, “Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all its vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.” He also said that Earth is such a tiny pale blue dot in the universe that it shows we have no privileged position in the cosmos. Sagan was a brilliant man, but he overlooked the fact that Someone did come from elsewhere to save us. Victor Glover knows that is true. He said that we are not a lonely cosmic accident, but instead, we are loved, and those who believe in Jesus Christ agree.

July 30, 2026July 27, 2026

Broken Promises

We live in an age of broken promises. Nations break treaties. Professional athletes dishonor contracts. Politicians go back on campaign promises. Spouses abandon wedding vows. Even in business, we sign legal documents pledging to honor agreements. Yet lawyers still take businesses to court over broken promises.

The one place where we can find promises that will not be broken is in God’s Word. When God makes a promise, He always keeps it. Hebrews 6:13-15 gives us a model of God’s promises and how they are kept: “When God made His promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for Him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, ‘I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.’ And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.” We find no broken promises there.

Although we sometimes must wait to receive what God has promised, God always delivers. The most important promise God gives to you and me is the promise of salvation. God says, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The PROMISE is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord God will call.”

We don’t have to worry about our future because God has promised eternal life to us. All human religions contain broken promises, but the promises of God contained in the Bible will never be broken.

July 29, 2026July 27, 2026

Chimpanzee Civil War

One of the doctrines of Darwinism is that animals are driven by a basic obedience to “survival of the fittest.” The fit survive, and the less fit do not, and that determines the future and existence of the life form. In Darwinism, war is viewed as a human creation based on politics, history, or economics. In Darwinian terms, the only time an animal would kill another of its own species is when a male kills the babies of a female he wishes to mate with to produce his own progeny. More recent research indicates a chimpanzee civil war.

Recent studies of chimpanzees in Uganda have shown that the roughly 200 chimpanzees in Kibale National Park have split into two groups of about 100 individuals and have declared war on each other. The groups have been called the Central and Western clusters. Between 2018 and 2024, researchers witnessed Western adults kill seven males and 17 infants from the Central group. An additional 14 adolescent or adult Central males disappeared during that time, and their bodies were never recovered. Researchers have documented two more attacks on Central males since the study ended in 2024.

Primatologist Jane Goodall observed a chimpanzee civil war in Gombe National Park in Tanzania, with several chimpanzees killing others in the 1970s. However, it was assumed that the action was not natural, but because humans gave Gombe chimpanzees bananas. We now know that this is normal chimpanzee behavior and that war is not restricted to humans. What we have now seen among chimpanzees has also been seen among lions, dogs, cats, and hyenas, and has been misunderstood by Darwinists. Behavior among higher forms of life is not just controlled and driven by sex and food.

Because humans have a spiritual makeup in the image of God, we can live together without violence or conflict. Read Matthew 5-7, and you see a blueprint for how that is possible. Jesus brought peace to mankind, but greed, politics, and selfishness have corrupted what God intended for us.

Reference: Scientific American for July/August 2026, pages 10-11.

July 28, 2026July 27, 2026

Dragonflies and God’s Design

Imagine what this world would be like if there were no controls on the number of bugs we have to contend with. Insects are part of the food chain on our planet, but there is a difficult balance between insects as food for birds and fish, and making life miserable for humans. God has given us dragonflies to control other insects.

Dragonflies live in various environments, from wetlands to desert pools to mountains, on every continent except Antarctica. There are 3012 species known to science, and they demonstrate God’s genius of design. To catch and eat other insects, dragonflies must be fast enough to outfly them. One dragonfly species has been clocked at 60 mph (96 km/h). They must also make quick turns, and researchers have found that they can experience 9 Gs when turning to catch prey. If a dragonfly gets upside down, it can right itself in .2 seconds.

Dragonflies have a wingbeat of 30 times per second, and their eyes can take in their surroundings and process 200 images per second, allowing them to capture and eat various insects. Dragonflies have virtually no enemies at any stage of life. In the nymph stage, they have gills, so they develop underwater and feed on mosquito larvae, among other things. Unlike most other insects, dragonflies produce relatively few offspring, helping maintain the balance between predator and prey.

Scientists study dragonflies to improve flight technology, and they amaze us with their complexity and design that allows them to be insect predators. In Job 38:39-41, God challenges Job to explain how various forms of life find food. Everywhere we look, we see that a wonder-working hand has gone before. Romans 1:20 tells us that we can know there is a God through the things He has made, and the dragonfly is an example of that truth.

July 27, 2026July 26, 2026

Marine Fungi – God’s Solution for Ocean Pollution?

Marine Fungi – God’s Solution for Pollution

One of the great challenges facing humanity today is the amount of plastic pollution in our oceans. Polyurethane plastic is among the most prevalent and harmful pollutants in our oceans today. Researchers have found marine fungi that decompose plastic and turn it into food. Up to 60% of the fungi researchers have found in the ocean have some ability to eat plastic.

Research continues to see whether marine fungi can break down other forms of plastic, such as polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate. Since less than 1% of ocean fungi are documented, our knowledge is very limited. Dr. Anthony Amend at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa says, “Fungi possess a superpower for eating things that other organisms can’t digest.”

The basic point of this ministry is that science and faith are 100% supportive of one another. There is no conflict between science and faith, and every scientific discovery supports that. We continually see support for the statement in Romans 1:20, which says that “we can know there is a God through the things He has made.” From the galaxies of outer space to the simple cells of marine fungi, we see this truth demonstrated.

Climate change and environmental issues are problems that can be solved by scientists and Christians working together. We need to encourage Christian young people with an aptitude for science to get involved in learning more about God’s creation. That is one of the goals of this ministry.

Reference: Discover Magazine for Summer 2026, page 20.

July 23, 2026July 20, 2026

The Human Nature of Christ

The biblical description of the human nature of Christ shows Him to be very much like us. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way as we are – yet without sin.” Also, 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that we don’t face anything today that is not common to mankind.

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is God, yet it describes the human nature of Christ. John’s gospel begins by saying that the Word created all things, and verse 14 says, “The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us.” That means that God knows what we endure, and, unlike the ghosts and spirits of pagan religions, the God we read about in the Bible went through what we go through.

We see the human nature of Christ as He experiences what humans do. We see Jesus frustrated with humanity and needing time alone (John 6:15). We see Him frustrated with Peter’s lack of faith, which caused him to sink after he had just seen the power of Christ (Matthew 14:31). In Matthew 14:26, when the disciples saw Christ walking on the water, they resorted to a pagan explanation, saying it was a spirit they were seeing.

Jesus needed time in prayer, just as we do (Luke 22:41-42). He experienced human fatigue, as seen in John 4:6 when He sat at the well in Samaria, and again in Matthew 8:24-25 when He slept through a storm on the Sea of Galilee. Christ was exposed to sexual temptations as a group of women who supported His work traveled with Him (Luke 8:1-3). In John 11:1-44, we read of Jesus having a close relationship with Mary and Martha. Jesus had strong family interactions, as seen in the exchange with His mother at the wedding feast at Cana (John 2:3-4) and when His mother and brothers tried to interfere with His ministry (Matthew 12:46-50). Jesus felt physical pain, as seen in the crucifixion.

The question is how you and I view Christ and respond to Him. Can you see the human nature of Christ? Do you see Him as a mystical non-human or as a brother and a friend who can relate to your struggles in life?

July 22, 2026July 20, 2026

Good Soil in the Garden of the Heart

To have a successful garden, you need good soil. Where does it come from? Does it just happen to be good? If you have worked in a garden, you know that good soil takes effort on your part. You must till the soil, pull out old roots, dig out rocks, remove pebbles, and add fertilizer.

The same is true of the good soil of our hearts. We must prepare our hearts to receive the Word and produce a bumper crop. We must get rid of bad attitudes and dig out rocks of resentment, hatred, and the pain of bad experiences. But we do not have to do this entirely on our own. God’s Spirit is available to root out the bad things that Satan brings upon us.

In Matthew 13, Jesus taught about good soil in the parable of the sower (verses 1-23) and the parable of the weeds (verses 24-29). We need to remember the message of those parables and understand that Satan doesn’t want us to improve our soil. It is essential that we study and learn from God’s Word. That is the one thing we can use to make our hearts receptive to the purpose God has for us.

Don’t try to create good soil that produces a “bumper crop” on your own. A garden that is not tended by a gardener will never produce a good crop. A heart that is not maintained by God’s Spirit will never be what it should be. The only way for us to have God’s Spirit helping us is revealed in Acts 2:38:

“Change your thinking and be baptized … in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and YOU WILL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. The promise is for you and your children and for ALL who are afar off…”

You and I are those who are afar off, and the message is for us.is for us.

July 21, 2026July 20, 2026

Genetic Evolution Is Not the Answer

God told Noah and his sons: “…BE FRUITFUL AND INCREASE IN NUMBER; MULTIPLY ON THE EARTH AND INCREASE UPON IT” (Genesis 9:7). Scientists who study genetics tell us that this command is impossible by genetic evolution alone. When evolutionary anthropologists calculate how long it would take for humans to spread throughout the planet by genetic evolution, they find it would require at least 88 million years. No one believes that humans have existed on Earth for that long, so genetic evolution is not the answer.

Humans occupy as much of the planet’s dry land as all other mammals combined. Evolutionists attempt to solve this problem by saying it is due to “cultural evolution,” meaning that as cultures evolve, humans find ways to adapt to new environments.

Since genetic evolution is not the answer, a biblically sound approach is to accept that a combination of social cooperation, language, creativity, and intellect allowed humans to cover the planet many times faster than would be possible by genetic evolution. We can credit that to God creating humans in His image with those abilities.

The spread of humans over the entire planet is due to the way God created us, and is not an accident. The bigger issue now is how we can control our numbers and efficiently use the resources for survival that God has made available on Earth.

Reference: Scientific American for July/August 2026, page 17.